


Choking on Flowers

by multi_fan_writing



Category: South Park
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cartman remembers Kennys deaths, Character Death, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Multi, Not Actually Unrequited Love, don't worry its Kenny so he comes back, some added hanahaki diesease rules and junk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-07-07 00:42:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15897420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/multi_fan_writing/pseuds/multi_fan_writing
Summary: Daffodils.Too yellow to look at without wanting to wrinkle your nose in disgust, weirdly shaped and plain at the same time in an odd blend.They seemed to be a frequent part of Kenny's life.





	Choking on Flowers

Daffodils.

 

Too yellow to look at without wanting to wrinkle your nose in disgust, weirdly shaped and plain at the same time in an odd blend.

 

They seemed to be a frequent part of Kenny's life.

 

The New Kid, who had moved away in Middle School, gave him one when they were kids playing Lord of The Rings and Kenny had sewn together his own dress with Kyle's help.

 

The pollen from them had worked him up to red eyes and the sniffles years later when he tried to plant them in the garden bed outside his room (and he would have died if Kyle hadn't played nurse).

 

His baby sister, Karen, liked to paint them after Kyle had gotten her a paint set for her 13th birthday and she had even painted one for Kenny on his bedroom wall and took his favorite poster with her.

 

But this was a new instance that had made his distaste for the flower increase tenfold.

 

What a stupid flower to be caught choking on.

 

Bright, bloody yellow petals littered the grubby rusted sink of his rundown bathroom, a few more splotches joining the rest of the blood drops on the counter as it dripped from his lips.

 

Kenny's lips twisted into a frown and he tried to wipe away the partially dried gore on his face with the back of his hand.

 

It only smeared it towards his scarred cheek.

 

He had long since ditched the orange parka so the re-emergence of it would cause suspicion.

 

But without running water in their house, it would be impossible to get rid of all the blood.

 

Hanahaki Disease wasn't uncommon anymore. More and more people were catching the disease with every passing week, a cure had been made but it came with the risk of tearing away any emotion you might have.

 

Kenny snorted, maybe for someone like Craig Tucker that wouldn't be a problem.

 

It wasn't a problem for him either.

 

He'd rather die and come back free of the disease than have to get a part of himself removed.

 

The disease wouldn't even have to be the killer in this case, tomorrow he would die of whatever random thing of the week, probably whatever Cartman had cooked up, happened and then it would be over.

 

Kenny scooped the petals off his counter, the blood on the worn down wood smearing against the side of his hand and slipping into the cracks in the counter. The blond couldn't care as he shoved the yellow filth into his pocket and promptly ignored the slight stain they left on his jeans.

 

After examination it became apparent the blood on the sink blended in with the rest of the dirt, so all he cared about now was hiding the smears on his face and waiting it out until dawn came, the next day beginning with a gunshot to the head.

 

Until he finally died. He'd rather die of whatever would happen tomorrow than kill himself.

 

He tried to only kill himself if it was an unbearable pain or if it was an extreme situation.

 

The scratch in the back of his throat, for now, could be dealt with.

 

It wasn't the thorns that Tweek had described in the later stages when he had caught it months ago. At least not yet.

 

Kenny pressed his ear to the bathroom door, relaxing for once at the sound of his parents shouting and then slipped out of the bathroom to make his way down the hall.

 

He made it to his room safely after a few moments of pause and the sound of his mother's shrill voice became dulled thanks to his creaky door.

 

He sighed out through his nose, leaning back against the wood and the poster sloppily taped up crinkling softly.

 

Faint drunken snarks were dulled further when his cheap phone blipped from his bedside table, the blond's eyes falling shut as he debated wasting data on responding or seeing who was messaging him.

 

Maybe it was Kyle?

 

The scratch in the back of Kenny's throat spiked to a burn and he shoved himself off the door to stumble across the carpeted floor, swiping up his phone and flicking it open.

 

No, thank god.

 

_'poor boy, you better fuckin remember to bring your part of the plan to school, if you don't I'll kick your ass'_

 

Kenny turned to fall back onto his bed, the bounce nonexistent and the boy wincing as he arched uncomfortably.

 

_'sure thing'_

 

The low battery signal popped up the next second, his phone beeping in almost annoyance, and he flicked his phone shut again, hand falling beside his face.

 

Head tilting back, Kenny glanced outside his cracked window.

 

"Kyle," He croaked suddenly, testing his voice which had become raw with the hacking fit in his bathroom.

 

The burn flared again and Kenny felt his insides coil in disgust.

 

Confirmation. Just what he needed.

 

Kenny kicked at the floor, pushing himself up and off his bed to trudge over to his closet. Shoving it open and grabbing for the old ratty parka there, he tried his best to ignore the thought of the redheaded boy in favor of yanking on the 'jacket'.

 

He would need to wear something on his way to the lake so he could wash off the blood, even if it was too tight to be practical.

 

Passing by Kyle's house and the potential petals he would cough up while doing so was already bad enough, he didn't need the other charging out in the dead of night asking why he looked like he had his teeth smashed in to top it off.

 

He had hidden it this far, a miracle in his house, what would another day or two until his inevitable return to hell or heaven be in the grand scheme.

 

* * *

 

Kenny could feel his throat, raw and aching, lurching and closing every time Kyle turned his eyes on him in his furious ranting.

 

Another speech.

 

The yellow petals filled any empty space between the scarf, which he had hurriedly wrapped around his face when Kyle had approached, and his skin, wet with his own blood and lips practically glued together. There was a slight ringing in his ears as he focused on not coughing or letting any more of the petals that pressed against his cheeks out and potentially poke out, the noise drowning out the high pitched voice of the boy in front of him scolding him out.

 

Cartman and Butters had managed to get away with Kenny taking the fall for them, and he was starting to wish he too had run.

 

"You could have gotten seriously hurt!" Kyle's voice finally broke through the ringing in a shrill spike, the boy looking ready to tear his hair out strand by strand.

 

"Sorry." The blond finally managed to croak after prying his lips apart, burying his face back into his scarf when the redhead spun on him, eyes fiery and teeth bared like a wolf.

 

Kenny was the prey, the foolish one who made himself known to the predator currently stepping closer making him freeze.

 

"Don't apologize!" Kyle hissed, hand firmly pushing at Kenny's chest so he pressed just slightly further into the locker behind him, his lungs staggering, trying to push more petals into his mouth and out from the simple touch. "I'm... I'm just worried about you, Kenny."

 

The taller male finally met the sharp interrogating eyes of Kyle Broflovski. Worried.

 

A younger Kyle wouldn't show this much worry, he'd be chasing after Cartman and trying to beat him with the skateboard used in the 'prank' he had set up.

 

"It seems like you're just being reckless for the sake of it, like you don't care if you get hurt. It..." Kyle took a breath as the petals slipped into Kenny's mouth and pushed against his lips that were once again dried shut. "It scares me, okay? Are you happy, now?"

 

No, I'm not, Kenny thought and he shakily reached out to smooth his hand over Kyle's arm, the boy relaxing under his touch.

 

"Just... stop letting Cartman influence you so much, okay? I know he's kind of grown up but he still acts like you can die and you'll come back the next day and it pisses me off," If only you knew, Kyle.

 

Even then, everything Cartman does seems to piss Kyle off somehow so that part wasn't really surprising.

 

No matter how similar they were, Kyle and Cartman would always disregard that fact.

 

Yet somehow, Kenny had fallen for Kyle over Cartman.

 

Maybe he wasn't as into degradation as he thought he was if Cartman doing it turned him off so much.

 

The joke fell flat and Kenny was glad his mouth refused to open up, the blond merely nodding and feeling something much larger than a petal lodge into his throat as Kyle's eyes seemed to soften at the action.

 

"Thank you," No, no, please stop. "I really appreciate it, Ken."

 

Kenny could feel himself beginning to get dizzy from the lack of air in his lungs, watching and waiting with a desperate plea of 'hurry' for Kyle to leave the hallway, and once he was far enough away Kenny hurried to yank off the scarf.

 

Wheezing, petals falling onto the tiles around him, the yellow striking against pale grey. One splotch of blood, two, the petals becoming increasingly soaked in bright red.

 

Kenny shoved his fingers down his throat, yanking and sharply gasping as his blood splattered hand emerged.

 

He shook as he continued to wheeze, throat feeling slimy and thick with his blood as his hand shook, holding up the partially blooming bud stained crimson.

 

Full flowers was stage two and emerged after two weeks.

 

Buds were only supposed to appear a few days before stage two started.

 

It was less than 24 hours since stage one emerged in Kenny.

 

The blond dropped the bud as he regained control of his breathing, bloodied hand curling into a fist and a trickle of blood dripping down his chin slowly.

 

Maybe its just a coincidence, Kenny thought, maybe its just a one-time thing.

 

More contact with the person you're in love with can make the stage effects stronger in a person, right? Kyle's eyes on him and hands brushing his skin could have just created a spike in the effects.

 

_Usually, the stages don't speed up though_ , a voice nagged at the back of Kenny's mind as he backed away from the bloody pile of petals on the floor.

 

_In fact, the stages never speed up to this extent,_

 

Kenny turned away from the yellow daffodils as if it would silence the voice hissing and curling around in his brain, his footsteps echoing off the walls as he stumbled away.

 

_Only a freak like you would experience an anomaly to this degree,_

 

Louder footsteps pounding against Kenny's ears as he began to jog towards the exit, turning the sharp corner.

 

_Why don't you just do it, Kenny?_

 

Faster, running now.

 

_It'll go away anyway, let the elder gods do the work,_

 

Sprinting, and his body shoved at the push doors so hard he nearly fell as fresh air hit his lungs, the voice in his head silent.

 

But only for a moment.

 

_Die, already._

 

Kenny's head tilted back and his eyes fell shut as he tried to keep a steady breathing pattern.

 

He dies all the time, at least once a week. This would be no different.

 

But he's not going to let that influence him.

 

It hurts, no matter if he can come back, might as well let it drag out until it was just his time.

 

It's just a disease, and he'd rather not spend more time in the afterlife, anyway.

 

Right. Kenny's eyes opened again and fluttered to adjust to the light, sighing through his nose as he tilted his head back down and glanced at the steps leading down to the sidewalk and the way back home.

 

Just another disease.

 

Just another death.

 

* * *

 

A jerk, a sharp gasp, and Kenny lurched up into a sitting position on his ratty bed, hand grasping for his throat.

 

He looked around, eyes wide.

 

Another death.

 

This time it had been a car. He couldn't remember who was driving it but he remembered Cartman's eyes as they rolled and he scoffed.

 

_"Run over again? The universe needs to get a bit more creative, huh?"_

 

Kenny would agree, but the creative deaths always hurt a lot more, especially when right after Stan and Kyle would shout their eyes would glaze over as if they couldn't see him.

 

The blond stroked his throat before falling to the side as he took a deep breath. Clear, clean lungs, no petals clogging it up and no blood on his tongue. The metallic taste gone was a bit odd after days of the constant tang coating his mouth, but welcome none the less.

 

Kenny leaned before falling onto his back, pillow huffing and his eyes falling shut as a faint smile curled on his lips.

 

It was just a disease.

 

Just a disease.

 

Kenny began to drift, the words repeating several times over as a faint murmur in the back of his head, his stomach starting to churn after a few moments of cricket-filled silence.

 

His body seized up as a familiar ache returned and he jerked again with a wheeze, his body twisting until he was leaning over the side of the bed and hacking.

 

How?

 

Behind watery eyes, Kenny continued to gag and choke until an almost fully bloomed daffodil had to be spat out of his mouth and onto the floor, petals weighed down by fresh blood.

 

One breath, two, Kenny swallowed down the renewed taste on his tongue, bland flowers mixed with blood and spit.

 

He died.

 

The disease should have been gone, or it should have been renewed back to the beginning of stage one, not in the middle of stage two despite it.

 

It's not like anyone could help him in this case, either. Dying and coming back to life wasn't normal on its own and his attempts to tell others never worked in the end, save for Cartman.

 

There was no way he would help though, meaning there was no way to ask for help, not even from Kyle seeing as he was one of the smartest kids-

 

More flowers lurched in Kenny's throat and he clawed at his skin as he desperately gagged and choked them out, these ones more bloody than the first flower had been.

 

Tweek was the only one Kenny knew who had dealt with the disease before, but asking for help would instantly put him at risk.

 

Either Tweek would drag him to a hospital and then his feelings for Kyle and anyone else would be removed entirely (not to mention the fact his family wouldn't be able to afford it and be dragged down the drain because of him) or he'd be forced to confront Kyle like Tweek had to confront his now boyfriends.

 

The second option, in his opinion, would be worse.

 

Kenny fumbled and fell out of bed, crushing some of the flowers beneath his feet as he stood, swaying.

 

He'd tell Kyle, be rejected, and sent to the hospital in the end anyway.

 

Kyle would know he loves him, loved him, and would pull away just like he always did when confronted with someone else's emotions or his own.

 

He'd pull away from him like he pulled away from Stan back when they hit double digits and then again when they found out Stan was still drinking.

 

Kenny's shoulder bumped against the wall as he grabbed for the door handle, covering his mouth when more flowers clogged his throat.

 

Kyle would probably be disgusted by the thought of him falling in love with him.

 

Too poor to even have a trailer kind of trash.

 

Country hick accent from his parents that only married because they couldn't get an abortion trash.

 

Three siblings having to work once they hit ten to pay the bills since their parents couldn't fucking  _trash_.

 

Kenny made it passed his pa' and sister in the living room, Karen sunk low in her seat and doing her homework in the light of the television and their dad passed out drunk in his chair.

 

He had to avoid his sister's gaze when he yanked on his shoes and left the house without more than a shirt to protect his arms from the bitter cold.

 

Once the door shut behind him he spat out a few of the blood coated flowers, kicking snow and dirt over them to hide the evidence before he continued on his way.

 

His brain felt foggy as he hopped over the tracks.

 

Maybe if he forced himself to puke the flowers would leave him alone for a while, but then he'd lose the small amount of food he had scrounged up throughout the day.

 

Maybe if he just continued dying the flowers would stop, but that was a lot of pain to go through for a small chance at the disease in his veins finally cutting off.

 

Kenny stopped as he reached Kyle's house, the only light on shining in Kyle's room and making the night just a bit brighter.

 

Maybe he should just tell him and risk their friendship for the small chance that Kyle might actually like him back and put an end to the disease without Kenny having to get it removed.

 

Flowers, with more blood, slipped into his mouth without the need to dry heave or gag them out.

 

The cups of the daffodils pressed at his cheeks and prodded as Kenny continued to stare at Kyle's house as if hoping to catch a glance of the redhead.

 

No such luck, as the idea of just confronting the other died along with the yellow light pouring out of the other's room.

 

The only light now came from streetlamps and the moon as more flowers filled Kenny's mouth when his heart began to tug and twist in his chest.

 

If that wasn't a sign then the blond didn't know right from left.

 

He turned and his brisk walk from before was now a run as petals poked through his lips, coating them in red.

 

The rest of the night was spent at Starks pond, dizzy with lack of sleep and blood loss with a mountain of flowers dripping with blood right beside him.

 

* * *

 

"Do you guys know anything about Hanahaki disease and the symptoms?"

 

Kyle's sharp voice cut through the normal conversation of lunch, aka Cartman's ranting about Wendy 'one-upping' him for the umpteenth time that week. Kenny tensed and stopped his poking of the slop on his plate to look at the redhead who then huffed and smacked his trey down on the table.

 

"It's for my sociology class," Kyle said as if it was obvious, eye twitching at Cartman's sudden snort. "What?" He bit out.

 

"Why are you looking at something only the Asians get?" The brunette asked through a mouthful of his burger.

 

Kyle instantly scoffed and Kenny could feel his throat burn. "Tweek isn't Asian and he caught it, along with Token Black months ago. You saying that just proves my point."

 

Stan finally made himself known to the conversation by groaning and grinding the heel of his palm into one of his eyes. "What point would that be, Kyle?" He grumbled in such a bored tone it was obvious his disinterest in the topic.

 

"We finally get to do a project on whatever we like, Wendy gave me the idea to look into Hanahaki considering it's becoming more widespread. I'm doing a presentation on the misconceptions of it and the lies people are buying into concerning it." Kyle said as he plopped down in his seat across from Kenny, the blond feeling the burn in his throat turn into the feeling of a fire.

 

Kenny tugged the scarf around his neck up a bit higher to cover his mouth, much like the last time Kyle had gone on a speech before him.

 

"So far, people thought it could only affect Asians," Kyle side eyed Cartman a glare. "It was only fatal if the flower linked to you was a Rose or another flower with thorns, you would be automatically cured if you just told the person your feelings were directed towards and that it was fictional and made up for storytelling."

 

Cartman rolled his eyes as he continued to take large bites out of his food, and Stan hurried to cut in before Kyle snapped at the larger male and went on another tirade. "So you want us to tell you what we know or what we think we know about the disease?"

 

Kyle looked ready to smack his best friend and then hit himself. "Yes," A pause. "Or I would if I didn't know Cartman would mess up the results on purpose or that you are well informed because of your boyfriend."

 

Kenny tried to swallow down the flowers in his mouth when Kyle's eyes turned on him, his grip on his scarf growing tighter when the redhead smiled.

 

"Kenny, though," Kyle hummed. "Well, do you know anything?"

 

The blond shrugged and let out a soft muffled 'maybe', more flowers jumping into his lungs and trying to get into his throat when Kyle chuckled.

 

Fucking angelic shit.

 

"We can meet up after school then-"

 

"Ey! What about me and hippie?" Cartman cut in again with a whine and the beautiful soft look on Kyle's face turned to stone, the blond relaxing as attention was diverted away from him once again.

 

"I already told you," Kyle grit out, his jaw tight and it was much too obvious he was holding back strangling the brunette. It probably didn't help either that Kyle had only speech-ed Kenny out a few days ago because of Cartman's stunts. "Kenny is the only unbiased source out of you three, fatass."

 

If only Kenny could tell Kyle how wrong he was about that.

 

"Whatever, Jew boy," Cartman threw back, not even sparing the boy next to him a glance. "I think you're just going all faggy for Kenny."

 

The thought made it hard for Kenny to breathe, literally thanks to the surplus of flowers in his throat.

 

"Its  _Kenny_ , not Kenny, you fat fuc-"

 

Stan groaned in frustration before standing up abruptly and Kyle, fuming from the ears at the comment, was cut off yet again.

 

"I'm going to go before you two go into an all-out war," Stan bit out, grabbing his tray and almost violently lifting it up. "I've already got a headache because of you guys."

 

 Silence enveloped the table once Stan left, heading for Tweek and Craig and the rest of the people with them, the pair lighting up at the sight of their boyfriend trudging over.

 

Kenny jolted when one of the table benches grated against the linoleum floor, looking over to see Kyle still struggling to keep a level head. 

 

"You can meet me in the library after school," Kyle said slowly and then side eyed Eric. "Make sure you leave _him_  behind, Kenny."

 

Kenny didn't have the time to nod before Kyle was gone too, the redhead storming out of the lunchroom as Cartman snorted and muttered an insult, going back to eating the next second. 

 

The blonde felt more flowers building up in his chest and the beginnings of something digging into his chest once lunch ended.

 

Before the 7th hour ended he was dead again and Cartman just waved at his broken body at the bottom of the climbing rope. He couldn't decide if it was good or bad that he was going to miss hanging out with Kyle in the library before he blacked out and still couldn't decide once he woke up in his bed days later.

 

* * *

 

Kenny had been waiting for this to happen.

 

Thorns. Stems weaving around his lungs and the start of pricks digging and sinking into the tissue of his lungs, thorns attaching flowers to him and the disease latching onto his body.

 

It was a stark contrast from the month it should have taken, only 3 days after the petals had switched to flowers the third stage had taken place inside him.

 

Then again, half of that time he had been dead.

 

Kenny tried his best to take deep breaths as he let the back of his head hit his bathroom door, lungs making wheezing noises with each inhalation.

 

Bloody flowers and torn up petals lay around him, his fingers bloody as he reached up when he felt another flower pushing out of his throat. He choked it out with the help of his fingers digging down his throat, more blood coating his hand.

 

He spit the extra blood that came with the orange and yellow petals onto the floor, his stomach curling. The blond let out a gurgle as his body slumped and smacked against the bathroom door again.

 

The thorns dug in deeper into his lungs.

 

Breathe in, one, two, three, four.

 

Hold, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

 

Breathe out, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

 

Repeat.

 

Deeper, a sharp pain disrupting the rhythm Kenny had worked out and another flower had to be dug out as tears pricked at the boy's eyes.

 

This one was the largest by far and the most painful to pull out.

 

Kenny was more than thankful for Craig Tucker's sister and her friendship with Karen at that moment. The idea of his sister seeing, hearing or so much being near him in a state like this was sickening.

 

If he didn't want to throw up thanks to the blood coating his mouth and swirling in his gut along with flowers, his baby sister being forced to witness him in his current disposition would do it.

 

Karen didn't need another problem in her life, her father and their money problems were trouble enough.

 

She shouldn't have to be there for him and help him. She deserved to be a kid and just have fun with her friends.

 

She deserved better than an empty fridge and no running water or electricity for weeks, two dysfunctional parents and two older brothers who fought as much as they worked.

 

Kenny's fingers dragged along his stomach, smearing blood on his skin as his lips twisted and his eyes squeezed shut.

 

Kevin deserved better too, as much of an asshole as he could be. He had been working himself to death because City Wok was out of business while the owner was out, which meant Kenny wasn't making money to help out.

 

It was good that Kevin wasn't around unless he was sleeping, but he shouldn't need to be paying the bills with Kenny.

 

No one was in the house, and Kenny couldn't be happier that they weren't there. His body twisted and contorted until he was on his side and gagging on more flowers, even more painful and even larger.

 

Blood splattered the crooked tiles and ratty carpet that smelled like vomit, seeping into the cracks as the blond clutched his throat.

 

Kenny smacked his hand on the floor with a loud slapping noise, thorns digging and delving into his organs with glee as a sob wracked his body.

 

Everything hurt so much more now, like millions of needles were being shoved into his skin and clawing at it. It felt like he was dying with each passing second.

 

But everything seemed to freeze as he heard the front door clearly open, creaking loudly.

 

Kenny quickly shoved himself up onto his knees, eyes wild and he scrambled to get up, stumbling and swaying this way and that.

 

"Hello?"

 

The blond could feel his chest tighten at the recognition of that voice.

 

That wasn't his parents.

 

It wasn't Karen or Kevin either.

 

His knee hit the sink cabinet as bloody flowers squished against the bottom of his bare feet when he shoved himself against the door. It was obvious he had alerted the other's attention towards the bathroom with his panic, footsteps padding their way over to the door.

 

Kenny's head flicked around as he looked at all the flowers littering the bathroom surfaces and blood smeared on the floor and counters.

 

He had been way too careless with his lazing about, flowers crushed under his feet only making more of a mess.

 

But the impossibility of cleaning the entire room was wiped from his mind as the doorknob turned and the door was pushed at.

 

"Kenny, is that you?"

 

Kyle never came over, why was he here now of all times? He hated his run-down house and refused to come into it when they were younger so why now?

 

"What do you want, Kyle?" Kenny croaked and shoved back harder on the door in order to keep it shut, the action seeming to surprise the other as the opportunity to enter

clicked shut again.

 

The other could practically feel the other's frown through the wood.

 

"You've missed two days of school, or like, one and a half since the last time Stan or I saw you was the last time we had lunch together," Kyle said as if it explained anything. "Are you skipping school again?"

 

"Kind of?" Kenny gasped as the doorknob wiggled again and he had to push back harder on the door after Kyle started to push once again.

 

His muscles burned from the effort, body weak from lack of sleep, food, and blood. Kenny's eyes squeezed shut and he tried not to let out the pained noise building in his throat.

 

Kyle huffed clearly from the other side. "Are you sick, or are you skipping to drink?" A pause. "Are... are you skipping to work overtime again? I thought you agreed to stay and at least finish high school."

 

"No!" The blond gasped out as his eyes flew open, the worry and hurt in the other's tone making his entire body flare up in pain, thorns stabbing into him.

 

Flowers decided to shove up into his throat at that moment as well and he struggled to breathe.

 

"No to what, why won't you let me in, Ken?"

 

Kyle and his obvious upset was hurt enough, the nickname made it worse. Kyle only called him 'Ken' when he was scared or worried.

 

"I promised to stay and finish high school with you, I'm not backing out. Mr.Kim is still on vacation," Kenny could hear the desperation in his own choked out voice and he wanted to punch himself in the gut when he felt tears prickling at his eyes.

 

He didn't want to cry, he hated crying even if he was in severe pain.

 

Crying was weak, that's what pa' said anyway.

 

It was even worse that he was going to cry in front of or near Kyle, where he would be able to hear.

 

The flowers slid into his throat, his mouth coated with fresh blood as he tried to stifle his gags and other strangled noises.

 

"Why won't you let me in?" The redhead repeated and with a final push and twist of the doorknob, Kenny's body gave out and he stumbled forward, dropping to his knees.

 

The door slammed against the wall as the blond grasped his throat and spat out the daffodils.

 

If not for their shape and distinct look it would have been impossible to tell the flower thanks to the blood coating them and deluding the yellow pigment.

 

Blood dripped down Kenny's chin as another sob escaped him.

 

He'd been caught, and he could feel Kyle's eyes on him and watching.

 

Kyle Broflovski, the number one person he never wanted to see when being suffocated by flowers because of him, was right there.

 

Kenny bit his lip to hold back a scream.

 

* * *

 

Kenny's eyes flew open as he gasped. Unlike the last few times he had woken up he could feel the heavy weight of flowers and thorns in his body.

 

He hadn't died, so... what...

 

It was then Kenny could feel a wet cloth dabbing at his face and he slowly looked over.

 

Flowers crowded his throat as he was met with the face of Kyle Broflovski. Confusion clouded him and he tried to shove himself up but was stopped by the other's hand on his chest, pushing him back down.

 

This was his bed,  Kenny realized. This was his room.

 

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" He focused on the redhead, watching his eyebrows knit together and he could see the hurt in his gaze. "Not even... Not even Karen knew, Kenny."

 

Kenny's eyes widened and his body ached as thorns dug into his skin once again and he tried to choke out a response, but the flowers in his lungs and his raw throat made it almost impossible.

 

Karen knows, Kyle knows, who else knew that he was an idiot?

 

The blond shook his head and Kyle's face hardened, jaw clenching, and Kenny regretted even moving when Kyle pressed harder at his chest.

 

"This is why you started to wear scarves," The other accused. "Butters said you were just sick according to you, just a fucking cold my ass."

 

Kenny could see Kyle's eyes water before he snatched his hand away and rubbed at one of them with the heel of his hand, watching only making Kenny's chest grow tight. 

 

"Kyle," Kenny managed to croak out, the sound so soft he almost didn't hear, but Kyle did, made obvious by the way his body tensed before his hand dropped and he stared at the blonde. 

 

Flowers finally shoved their way into Kenny's mouth and spilled from his lips.

 

Kyle brushed them away, his hand smearing with blood and he leaned closer to Kenny. The anger on his face had melted away in mere moments, eyes squeezing shut and the close proximity made Kenny all the more aware of the thorns, flowers and his own eyes that were leaking tears.

 

But he couldn't bring himself to mind, focusing on the tears lightly streaking down Kyle's cheeks as he hiccuped. The blond reached out to brush them away as gently as Kyle had pushed the flowers away from his lips.

 

Green eyes opened, Kenny able to feel his heart ache with the mix of emotions flooding them, along with the ache of pain as his lungs heaved and flowers tried to spread further into his body.

 

"You could have died," Kyle whispered, flinching and then cupping Kenny's face partially. "I thought... I thought you would listen to me when I talked about that days ago... but you were hiding this then, weren't you?"

 

Kenny could only nod and in an instant arms were flown around him, squeezing his body tight and flowers were pushed out of his chest at the action, flowing from his lips freely. He wheezed and the thorns dug into every part of him when he heard a sob from Kyle.

 

He lurched upwards, hugging the other back just as tight and the other's legs digging into his side.

 

Kenny didn't care.

 

"I'm sorry," The blond muttered as loudly as he could after his tongue pushed away the flowers attached to his lips with blood.

 

Kyle stilled, pulling back and shaking his head. "No, I... should be sorry," He tucked his head under Kenny's chin. "I should have noticed the signs, I'm the one researching all of this after all."

 

"I mean, the giant scarf wrapped around my body did a good job of hiding it." Kenny joked weakly, one hand smoothing up and down Kyle's back, the snort from the other making the thorns pull out just slightly.

 

"Even now, you're trying to brush off your problems."

 

It was silent after that, besides Kenny's soft ragged breathing and the noise creeping through the cracks of the bedroom door, the blonds staring at the opposite wall for what felt like ages until Kyle pulled back completely this time.

 

Hands were back on Kenny's face, thumbs brushing over his cheekbones, a feeling of dread settling in his stomach once more and he tried to hold back the flowers begging to come out.

 

"Do you know who your feelings are for?" Kyle's voice was gentle, as if trying to coax him into speaking.

 

Kenny kept his mouth shut as the lightheaded feeling was back from the flowers but he nodded to satiate Kyle.

 

A flash of something in the other's green eyes caught his attention, but it was covered up before he could decipher it. "We should find them then, you can tell them before its too late." 

 

Kyle was off his lap, his once relaxed body now tensed again, and Kenny instantly noticed the clenched fists at his sides. 

 

His stomach felt like it was twisting in on itself as the blond stayed put on his bed, continuing to watch Kyle as he pulled on his shoes, left by his closet, and snatched up his jacket.

 

Kyle seemed to realize Kenny hadn't moved once he stood with his jacket in hand, turning towards him. "Kenny?"

 

He shook his head, his mouth now feeling glued shut because of the blood and flowers filling his mouth, and Kyle looked alarmed.

 

"Kenny, you could... you're going to die if you don't tell them, you know that right?" 

 

A nod.

 

"Then... why won't you tell them?"

 

Kenny hesitated before swinging his legs off his bed, feet planted on the floor and the blond slumping, hands curling into the bed sheets. He kept his head down even as Kyle huffed, feeling more flowers fill his mouth at the sound.

 

"Kenny," No response, a grunt. "Kenny, are you scared?"

 

Slowly, the man on the bed nodded again, eyes squeezing shut. Admitting he was scared, and to Kyle of all people, made him almost start to shake. He was scared, scared to even talk to Kyle for fear of him finding out, scared to look at Kyle for fear of him noticing the flowers now poking out of his mouth again as they continued to press against his cheeks and tongue.

 

"Why?"

 

A shake of his head. 

 

"Okay... is it because you think they won't like you back?"

 

Kenny's mind screamed 'yes' and he nodded, feeling himself grasp tighter at his blankets.

 

"Is it someone I know?"

 

Another nod and he could hear Kyle take a shaky breath, the blond wanting to look up at the noise.

 

"Are they taller than me?"

 

A shake of his head this time.

 

"Are they blond?" 

 

Another shake.

 

"Are they your neighbor?"

 

Kenny tensed all over, realizing the true question hiding behind it and slowly, very slowly, looked up once again to look at Kyle.

 

The redhead was tensed as well, his hands twisting together and his jacket forgotten on the floor. He looked fearful, though of what answer Kenny didn't know. 

 

Tension hung in the air, thick and suffocating, or maybe that was the flowers. Either way, the blond slowly stood up and noticed Kyle's eyes darting to his lips. Taking a sharp breath, Kenny wrenched his mouth open, reaching up and spitting the flowers out of his mouth, dropping them afterwards to let them join the old withered ones on the carpeted ground.

 

He took another deep breath, watching as Kyle's nails dug into his own skin.

 

"Maybe," Kenny croaked. "Depends."

 

"On?" Kyle's response was quick and Kenny flinched. 

 

"If they're gonna shut me out because of it."

 

Kyle's eyes widened partially, the short male stock still for a moment before he stepped forward and grasped Kenny's face, yanking him down for a kiss.

 

It was like something imploded in Kenny's mind the moment their lips met and melded together, the blond kissing back in an instant and his hands on Kyle's waist. 

 

He saw swirling colors behind his eyelids, everything felt warmer than he had been in years, chest aching pleasantly, and a swirl of emotions raged inside his stomach.

 

It was like something clicked, and the moment Kyle pulled away and they locked eyes, Kenny felt it.

 

The thorns had slithered back, retreating entirely, and it was like the flowers inside his lungs were shriveling out of existence. He could breathe without it sounding like he was wheezing, and everything that was sharp and painful was now an ache.

 

"It'll take a few days for you to heal entirely," Kyle's voice broke through his clouded thoughts and Kenny focused on the redhead once again. A smile graced the boy's lips. "You're going to ache for a while, and eventually the blood will clear out, but..."

 

"Kyle," Kenny's voice was still raw, but clearer now, and the shorter male quirked an eyebrow at him. "I love you."

 

His world seemed to freeze as Kyle's smile only grew that much larger, a soft peck to his lips making Kenny bite back a grin.

 

"I love you too, idiot."

 

Then, Kenny grunted at the light punch to his arm, stepping back slightly to see Kyle cross his arms. "Just know, if you do that again, or are ever getting hurt and don't tell anyone, I will murder you myself."

 

Kenny couldn't hold back the grin that split his lips and his eyes shone brightly. "Noted." 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading whatever this was! Comments, critique and kudos are welcome as per usual!


End file.
